Sparking plug.



R. C. BROWNE.

SPARKING PLUG.

PPIfIoATIoN FILED APR. 25, 1903.

Patented May 4, 1909.

R- G BROWNB.

SPARKING PEU G.

fltacbivd'. 8 representsanother embodi- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH C. BRCWNE, or SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, AssieNoR To BRowNE APPARATUSCOMPANY, or SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SPARKING PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed April 25, 1903. Serial N o. 154,288.

Tok all whoriz 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH C. BRowNE, of Salem, in the county of Essexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sparking Plugs, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to sparking oi igniting mechanism forcombustion engines.'

With the sparking plugs as hitherto con-4 structed, it has beencustomary to provide several of them in order to replace the one in use,in case it fails to work properly from one cause or another, such asbeing covered with soot; and, again, it has 1eeen impossible todetermine the character of thejspark from the coil without unscrewingthe plug from the cylinder or disconnectingl the wires. Again, in theplu which have been commercially used, much trouble has resultedfrom theclose proximity of the terminals within the engine, as short circuitsare frequently formed by reason of sooty deposits.

The object of the present invention is to provide a reversible plug.having duplex sparkin terminals, so t at in case one pair of termina sgets out of order, the plug may be reversed and a fresh pair locatedproperly withinthe e ine cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 30 vide a plug having twosparking terminals,

one arra d within the cylinder, and the other outsideof theV cylinder,so that the operator ma? easily ascertain whether the coil isj working'properly in the formation of a e5 spark. f.

' Stilllancther object of the. invention is to provide `ertainimprovements in 1fplugs of the character referred-to, for simpl' yingthem,A rendering thei'n less liable to et out of order,

40' and reducing the cost of their manufacture. On tn'e' accom aIdrawings,-Figure 1 represents in si e e evation a sparking plug.

F1g. 2 representsthe same partially in seetion;` Fig. 3 represents aSection through the 45 core.l Fig. 4 representaban end elevation of thecore. F' '.5 and v6 represent portions of thecasing. 7 illustrates moreor less conventionally the end of a cylinder of an engine with; thesparking plug thereto atnient: of-th'e invention, the plug in this casebeing gliow'nlin longitudinal section. Fig. 9

repnesents a side elevation of the samen- Fig.; 10 represents anend viewthereof. Fig? 11 illustrates another embodiment in side elevation. Fig.12 represents a further embodi-, ment in longitudinal section.

On the drawings,-al indicates a'corewhich is substantially cylindrical,as shown, and which is provided midway between its ends with twooppositely extending bosses c a These bosses project outwardly from anenlarged portion a2 of the core. through each one of the bosses, thereis an electrode which is bent at an angle of 90 degrees, and passedthrough the end of the core. These electrodes are indicated at b b.

The core is formed of glass, porcelain, or other suitable insulatingsubstance or material, and by the construction shown in Ficf. 3, it isapparent that the two electrodes b b are insulated from each other bybeing embedded in the body of the core.

Each electrode has its terminal extending from the end of the Core, andat the center thereof, and may be curved laterally, as indicated, andtipped with platinum. Y

lhe casing is formed of four-parts, and it includes two end portions cc, and the middle portion or coupling d. This coupling d, as

shown in Fig. 5, is formed in two parts so as to fit snugly around'theenlarged portion a2 of the core, being provided with a ertures d d forthe bosses a of the core. t is pro-l vided at itsv ends with external'screw-threads d2, so that the end' portions c c of the cas'- ing whichare internally 'threaded may be screwed thereon.

Each of the end portions cc' is provided with an electrode or terminal cor'cz, as the case may be, inclose roximity to the terminal of theelectrode or b', so as to form a spark-ga'p.

The easin is externally-threaded at each end so that either end thereofmay bescrewed Passing into the end 'of a cylinder, so that theelectrodes will project thereinto. The electrodes or conductors b bproject beyond the bosses a a and may be threaded to constitutebinding-posts, so that the terminal wires s s of the secondary circuitmay be secured Y thereto between the washers e e', b a nut e2.

AIt is apparent from this construction that when the plug is secured inplace in a cylinderthere are two spark-gaps, one within the Cylinder,and the other external thereto and visible to the eye. The supplementalsparkgap or air-space in the secondary circuit outside ofthe combustionchamber is visible to the operator, so that he is enabled to determinethe condition of the coil, battery, etc.

By reason ofthe provision of the second or supplemental spark-gap,`there is formed between the electrodes in the lcylinder an efficientspark across the gap even though the terminals are ina foul condition,from dirt or soot. v

The-silpplementalor visible spark causes aiixed resistance in thecircuit which results in`retarding the flow of the current until itsvoltage reaches its maXimum point, and clons'equently the discharge inthe cylinder takes placewith van accumulated violence.

The. operator may, whenever desired, reverse'the plug so as to insert inthe cylinder a fresh pair of terminals in a clean and operativecondition. So far as I am aware, l am the Erst to have provided a plugadapted to be attached to a gas-engine having two spark P gaps,and'whichis adapted to vbe reversed,

and also to have provided sparking mechanism in which there are twospark gaps in stationary relation to each other, onewithin and onewithout the cylinder for the purpose of'accornplishing the results towhich reference has been hereinbefore made.

- ,It is apparent that the invention may be embodied in a variety ofdevices.l For instance, in Fig. '8, the core g is substantially the sameas shown 'in Fig. 3, except that its v eiids are tapering. The casing ismade in two similar halves 7L h', adapted to cover the core, as shown inFig. 9. These two parts of thecasing are secured together by nuts h2 h2,screwed on the threaded portions haof the casing. Each end of the casingis externally threaded so that it'may be screwed into the ,engine to'bring the electrodes or terminals into the combustion chamber'. ln thisembodiment of the invention the ends of the electrodes t b are straightand not curved as shown in Fig. 3, whereas electrodes on the ends of thecasing are bent over into proper relation theretov to leave a space or asparkga of the proper length. v

n Fig. 1l the casing is formed in two parts, being divided by a plane atright angles to the longitudinal lines of said casing. ln this casey-thtwo halves i iv of the casing are secured together by nuts y' which arescrewed on threaded annuli i2 which surround the bosses or lateralprojections of the core. In this case,it is further observed that thecasing is provided with a supplemental bindingscrew i3 so that either'pair of terminals may ,be placed in the igniting circuit, so as to beused independently or so that the two pairs 'of electrodes may bearranged in the circuit in multiple with relation to each other.

In 12, the casing is formed in two main parts so as to cover only thevends of the core. In this particular embodiment of the invention, thecore m has a conductor m passing straight through it from end to end andthe two parts of the casing n n are in- 'be connected to a source ofelectricity.

sulated'from each other so that the ter wires of the secondary circuitmay be connected to the casing rather than to the electrodes through thecore, as indicated, and thus do away with the bosses. The core isprovided with two lcircumferential flanges m2 m3, and the-ends or twoparts of the cas,- ingare held in place by split nuts n?" whichV arescrewed'into the inner ends of the two members of the casing, so as tohold said parts fin place, as clearly illustrated. The

terminal wires of the secondary circuit may Y be secured to the twoparts ofthe casing by nuts o o', as shown.

ln all of these various embodiments of the invention, the exposed end ofthe plugv may be equipped with a head or cap p screwed thereon, andhaving a transparent end p throughl which the 'operatormay observe thespark on the external endof the plug. ln each of these embodiments ofthe invention, either end of the plug may be screwed into the cylindersoas to leave the other end exposed to view.

Having thus explained the 'nature of the invention, and described a wayof constructing and using the same, although without attempting to setforth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes ofits use, l declare that what l claim is 1. A sparking plug forcombustion engines having two pairs of complemental terminals orelectrodes, each pair. having an-in- Y terposed spark gap, andprovisions whereby either pair of terminals may he located within acylinder with the other pair visible.

2. A reversible sparking plug for combustion engines, having twoportions adapted for alternate insertion into an engine cylinder, andhaving atfeach portion a pair of electrodes or terminals separated toform a spark gap, whereby sparks are formed within and outside of thecylinder.

3; A sparking plug for combustion engines, comprising an insulating corehaving at each of two distinct portions an electrode passingtherethrough, said electrodes being insulated from each other by saidcore, andv being adapted-to be connected with a source ofelectrieity,and a metallic casing inclosing said core and having electrodescomplemental to said hist-mentioned electrodes and separated therefromto form spark gaps, said plug being constructed and arranged asdescribed so that one pair of electrodes is visible outside the enginecylinder.

4. A sparking plugcomprising aninsulating core having lateral bosses orprojections, electrodes extending through said bosses to the oppositeends of said core, a casing inclosing said core and having electrodes orterminals in complemental relation to said irst-mentioned electrodes,and provisions whereby said first-mentioned electrodes may `electrodesextending through sa1d bosses to the opposite ends of said core, acasing inclosing said core and having electrodes oi? terminals incomplemental relation to said first-mentioned electrodes, provisionswhereby said first-mentioned electrodes may 'be connected to a source ofelectricity, and means W ereby each end of said plug may be attached-'toa cylinder so that the elec-.- trodes on said end will be in position toignite the combustible material therein.

6. A sparking plug comprising an insulating core, electrodes extendingthrough said core to the opposite ends of said core, a casing inclosingSaid core and having electrodes or terminals in complemental relation tosaid first-mentioned electrodes, said casing comprising a sleeve orbushing, andend portions secured thereto.

7. A sparking plug' comprising an insulating core, having ateral bossesor projections, electrodes extending through said bosses to the oppositeends of said core, and a casing inclosing said core and havingelectrodes or terminals in complemental relation to said first-mentionedelectrodes, said casing comprising a two-part sleeve or bushing a ertredto receive said bosses or projections, and end portions secured theretoand holding the two parts of said sleeve together.

8. A double end plug for combustion engines, having a plurality of pairsof stationary electrodes one at each end, each forming a spark gap,means whereby said plug may be secured to an en ine with either pair ofelectrodes in activelgniting position in the cylinder, and the otherpalr out of the cylinder and a cap adapted to cover the exposed pair ofelectrodes'.

9. A plug for combustion engines, having a plurality of pairs ofelectrodes, each forming a spark gap, means whereby said plug may besecured to an engine with elther pair of electrodes-in active ignitingposition, and a cap adapted to c over the exposed pair of electrodes,said cap having a transparent portion.

1 0. A sparking plug comprising two distinct portions each of which maybe inserted in an engine cylinder, a pair of electrodes operativelylocated at each of said portions, and suitable electrical connectionsfor supplying current tosaid electrodes.

11. A reversible sparking lug for combustion engines having a plura ityof portions, each adapted for insertion into an engine cylindervwith theothers outside said cylinder, and having at each portion a pair ofelectrodes or terminals to form a spark 0ap when the same is introducedinto said cy inder.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

RALPH o. BROWNE.

Witnesses:

MARCUS B. MAY, C. C. STEoHER.

